The King's Knight
by PureWaterLily
Summary: When Kite told Gon and Killua to leave NGL, the fate of humanity changed forever.
1. The Veteran

**A/N:** I can't be the only one who wants a redo of the Chimera Ants arc… right? *smiles innocently.

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Gon and Killua's performance had been nothing short of impressive. They were nearing the nest. At the rate their team was going, they may even reach the queen before she could give birth to the king. Yet despite all the facts - and the corpses - lying before him, Kite could not shake off his unease. It was this unease that pushed Kite to make his decision.

"Gon. Killua. I need you to leave NGL."

Both boys looked to him in surprise, as if they had misheard.

Before either could object, Kite adjusted his cap. "Alert the hunter association and have them organize an official extermination team. The outside world needs to know what we have seen."

Killua was the first to bite down his dissent. The hunter before him was a veteran; if Kite's intuition was telling him something theirs were not, they would be wise to listen. He spared a glance at Gon before refocusing on Kite.

"What will you do?" Killua asked.

Kite kept his eyes on the horizon. "I'll scout on ahead. If the enemies are manageable, I'll eliminate the queen myself. Otherwise, it is crucial the reinforcement gets here as soon as possible." He paused. From his pocket, he withdrew a wrinkled note, scratched with hasty scribbles in blood. It had been someone's last-ditch effort to call for help.

"I trust you two will be successful," Kite said. "Lives are on the line."

Once the note was in Gon's hands, whatever hesitation he had quickly turned to steady-fast determination. He gave a firm nod.

"Okay, we'll join you again soon." Gon allowed no room for correction.

They left with an exchange of waving good-byes, far more light-hearted than their blood-splattered surroundings would suggest. Kite walked off in one direction. Gon walked off in the other, Killua tagging closely behind.

Only after they had put several kilometers behind them did Killua lower his shoulders. He shared Gon's disappointment at leaving; things were just starting to get interesting. At the same time, he could not help but feel a sense of relief.

Gon caught his friend's eyes on him and returned a beaming smile. "Race?"

Killua smirked. His hands still pocketed, he propelled off the ground in explosive strength. Together, they were weaving across the dense forest. Killua ricocheted across the trees while Gon laughed from above, high up in the branches.

Had luck been with them, they would have reached the border of NGL within thirty-six hours.

Had luck been with them, they would have easily both come out alive.


	2. The Survivor

Red hair flowed like the hem of her dress. She was running and running, but they ran faster. Even faster than them was a bullet.

She will never outrun that bullet.

Her body made impact with the ground below, the wild ferns and woody debris scrapping her elbows and dirtying her forehead. Her ankle was snagged by a root, keeping her down like a trapped animal. At that point, she had already given up. Her voice shut down, her eyes snapped close. She braced herself.

In darkness, the footsteps sounded almost human. Her skin jumped at the touch, because it felt like a hand, warm and gentle. The voice was the most human of all.

"It's okay."

Everything will be okay, he reassured her. And when she opened her eyes and looked into his, she almost believed him.

"Damn it, Gon!"

Approaching them was a second boy, his shirt splattered with what looked like blue ink. His hands were dripping in the same color, as he wiped his cheek against his bare arm. He reminded her of a mountain cat cleaning himself after a kill. The look in his eyes said he was ready for more. Killing, that is.

Only, his next words were very different from what she expected, as was his tone.

"Does it hurt?"

She was confused by his question. But then, she followed his gaze and saw.

The boy named Gon had a radiant smile, so much that she never noticed the bent in his arm, the swelling of his veins. His skin did not break, but just about everything else on the inside had. It seemed unlikely he had any control left of his fingers.

The bullet had to be stopped somehow. Funny how she forgot that detail.

Swallowing hard, she forced herself to look. Lying a short distance away were four dismembered creatures. Their sizes were larger than human but smaller than that of a bear. It was a horrific sight, gangly appendages and razor-sharp hairs, a pool of bright blue leaking out the cracks in exoskeleton. One wing of chitin jutted crookedly into the air.

Then there was the fifth. Even though it was small, smaller than her, that one scared her the most. Because that one was the most abnormal of them all. That one had spoken to her, spoken to her the most terrible of words.

Looking at them, she understood she would have never escaped. She would have never gone any farther than the rest of her family. Water blurred her vision, as she finally understood how meagre her existence was, how hopeless.

Yet, she survived.

In exchange for an arm, she survived.


	3. The Hero

"Does it hurt?"

Gon gave a guilty laugh. "It's not too bad- ow, OW unless you do that, Killua! _Killua!_ "

Satisfied, Killua dropped his grip on Gon's arm.

Gon exhaled deeply after Killua let go. More sweat trailed down his neck. Truth was, the pain was enough to spot his vision and ring his ears. Everything had happened so fast, he jumped in without thinking. His nen failed to fully activate in time. Still, Gon did not want to make a fuss. He did not want anyone worried on his behalf.

A shuffle. Confused, Gon looked up to see Killua pulling off his shirt. One sharp rip, and the fabric was torn along the seams.

"Wha...?"

Killua ripped his shirt again. "If we don't do something, you'll lose that arm. I've seen some sick cases of gangrene, you know."

Gon watched in awe as Killua made a makeshift splint and cast. He never knew Killua was so knowledgeable, even about things like these.

"I watched the doctor work on you after your fight with Gido," Killua explained. "I think I remember how she did everything." He wrapped the fabric around one last time, then completed the sling with a knot. Done, he stepped back to let Gon test the final result.

It was perfect. Before Gon could give thanks, the girl beside them tensed.

Vibrations. From afar, they really did sound indistinguishable from ants, the thousands that would swarm above the lukewarm waters of May.

His good hand balled into a fist. Let them come. He was ready. He-!

Gon blinked at the weight placed on him. Red hair dropped down his shoulder.

"Hey, what's with that expression," Killua growled. "You went out of your way to save her, didn't you? Well, it means she's your responsibility now."

"M-my responsibility?" Gon stammered. The girl clutched harder onto him.

"Yeah. Her ankle is twisted, so you'll need to carry her to safety," Killua said matter-of-factly, hands at his hips. "And look, she's crying. She's not like us. She's just a normal girl, and she's probably scared senseless right now, so it's your job to comfort her. Say nice words or pat her head or something!"

Gon's head spun. He glanced at the quivering girl on him and deflated. Killua was right. She should be his top priority right now, not the ants.

"Didn't we pass by a village on the way here?"

Killua brightened. "The one by the valley? Good idea, someone there might take her in."

Gon nodded. He was ready to set off, when he noticed Killua had not moved.

"Killua?" Gon asked, startling Killua out of his thoughts.

"Hm, oh. Go on ahead," Killua said, waving dismissively. "I'll stay behind and stop those guys before they can do any more damage."

Gon stared out into the skies. They were faint, but his sharp sight picked up their silhouette. They were coming their way, and they were coming in fast. If he was to leave, he had to leave now.

"Okay." After a pause, he added, "Let's meet up at the border!"

Killua smiled, pocketing his hands. "Don't keep me waiting."

Gon had barely gotten a step in when Killua spoke up again.

"Stay safe. And… a-and don't do anything stupid, okay?"

Gon laughed. "I promise!"

When Gon looked back, Killua was still watching them, his smile soft. Then the forest blocked him from sight.

Gon ignored the funny feeling in his throat. Instead, he forced himself to move forward, his attention returned to the rough trail ahead.


	4. The Assassin

"Ha, there it is! Let me down, let me down!"

Bat dropped the enthusiastic ant soldier down. One by one, others followed, descending into the woods. She readied to dive down herself when she identified another target several kilometers north. Sharpening her senses, she realized it was two distinct forms bundled as one.

Excited, she beckoned Hollow. They spiraled in the air, in a predatory lockdown of their next prey.

Meanwhile, on ground level, a fight had already broken out. The surrounding landscape had been wrecked by a combination of attacks from every direction, mutant claws and antennas and spit all aimed at one retreating figure.

Snake materialized at blinding speed from behind, his tail wrapped around their target. Caught him! Now to crush- His eyes bulged at his empty grip.

Balanced casually on top the coils of his tail was the boy. Snake made a second snatch, only to find air yet again. One upwards kick, and the boy disappeared altogether.

Next thing Snake knew, the world was rotating like a wheel. His head rolled to a stop before his comrade, who stared back in unrestrained horror.

Shaking, the soldier stared at the piling bodies. In consecutive thumps, the ants fell, cut down with merciless efficiency. And their killer, a human child. He was just a child, young and fresh, all thin limbs and soft outlines. Even now, his gestures carried a touch of deceptive innocence, maneuvering the battlefield as if he were playing a ball game.

This child was supposed to have been easy meat, a good practice hunt for newcomers like him. They made eye contact.

The soldier had severely misunderstood. This was not a hunt. This was a slaughterhouse.

In the air, Hollow continued to follow Bat. Their prey had changed paths, aiming for the deep woods. He must have noticed their presence, attempting to use the thick branches and leaves of the forests to camouflage their escape. It was no use. Once they had zoned in on their target, they had one hundred percent strike precision. They-!

Hollow froze, watching his partner plummet to her death. The atmosphere thinned once more, cracking viciously. It was his turn, to be smited down from the heavens.

The silver-haired boy landed in a crouch upon the highest tree branch. Electricity continued to discharge from his fingertips until it quieted with a clench of the fist.

One step, and he fell with gravity. His foot refound the ground, as his eyes scanned his surroundings for any further threats.

The sun had tilted. Behind the shadows of a tree, the ant captain waited for the boy to walk past. His tail curled when the footsteps stopped instead, head turned sharply in his direction, darkened eyes burning into his back.

The captain smiled wryly to himself. What a predicament this has become.


	5. The Madman

The skies were clear once more. The ominous buzzing was gone, the sounds of nature restored. Smiling, Gon reinforced his grip before picking up speed. Killua moved fast. If Gon did not hurry, Killua would undoubtedly reach the border first. If so, an earful would be waiting for him. Killua had his moments of impatience and could get grumpy over the strangest things.

Noticing the trembling in his companion, Gon said, "Don't worry. We're almost there."

The girl peeked up at him. The evening sun highlighted the puffiness of her eyes, the tear streaks against her freckled skin.

Gon chuckled in return. "Someone as cute as you, people will surely be fighting to take you in!" He looked ahead and continued, "It's almost dinner time, isn't it. I'll make sure you get a warm meal and a hot bath and a nice place to sleep tonight. I'll make sure to find you good people to stay with, who will keep you safe and happy, like Mito-san did for me."

After Mito was mentioned, the rest of the words flowed effortlessly. Gon talked about growing up with Mito and his great-grandmother, Abe. He talked about the wisdom they imparted. On Whale Island, sometimes the worst of storms would blow through, and you would find a lot of things have been ripped or stolen from your life. Sometimes horrible things would happen, horrible things that will leave you crying for a long time. Worst part is, disasters happen and you cannot even control them.

But what you can control is how you rebuild yourself afterward. You make your ships faster. You make your houses sturdier. You meet people who patch up the missing pieces, and you discover yourself to be someone else's missing piece. And you learn to be happy again.

Gon had no doubt she will be happy again.

He stopped.

Twilight was upon them. The farmlands were void of activity, rakes abandoned and the cattle gone.

Gon continued into the village. He did not know why he did; he already knew from the smell what had happened. The smart thing would be to change course and leave, to find her another place.

Yet, his body did not listen. He walked through the dark-streaked roads, past the upturned barrels and abandoned ammunition shells.

Finally, there was a noise other than his footsteps. Behind one of the unlit homes were the sounds of activity. Gon ignored the tightened grip on his shoulder, the panicked shake and tug for them to leave, to leave now.

While she closed her eyes, Gon kept his open. Gon kept his eyes open, as he stopped behind the chimera ant.

It was dinnertime. The ant had been learning. How to remove bullets. How to gut and debone. How to split down the belly until shapes of all sizes unfolded before him in butterfly.

The hunt was fun, ooh, so much fun, but so was the feast. The hunt and the feast. The feast and the hunt. It was so hard deciding which he liked more. Decisions, decisions, so many hard decisions. The feast? His hand skipped over the knife in favor of the machine gun. No, the HUNT!

Without warning, he spun around and pulled the trigger. His laughter reverberated over the bullets.


	6. The Support

"Wait what, you came back alone?!" Spinner demanded, before Monta relieved her of the phone.

"Well, not exactly…" Gon looked at the sleeping girl on his lap. His stomach weighed heavily with guilt. He should have left that village faster than he did.

After the call ended, Gon let out a sigh. In the embassy lobby, he watched the girl sleep until he nodded off himself.

By morning, the truck grinded to a halt before the border of NGL. Monta informed Gon that they had already alerted the Association. Reinforcements were on the way.

Banana raised an eyebrow at Gon's new companion. "Does she not talk?" she asked Gon, who shook his head. The red-haired girl shrunk further away.

"Do you have any food?" Gon asked. "She hasn't had anything to eat."

"Let me check," Stick said.

While he left for the truck, Spinner crouched down before Gon. She examined his arm and the discoloration in his fingertips. "Well shit, that looks bad." A pop of bubblegum. "Better come with us to a hospital."

Gon stuck out his tongue sheepishly. At the call of his name, he followed a patrol officer to the second floor, where rows of bins stored all the synthetic things not permitted inside NGL.

Gon gathered his possessions, his canvas shoes kicked off in favor of his boots. The rest of his clothes were as he had left them, neatly folded in squares. At the bottom of the bin was his Beatle 07. Quiet, Gon stared at another bin on the shelves. Inside was a cellphone identical to his, tossed haphazardly alongside a rumple of clothes and pair of beaten purple sneakers.

Killua... was really late.

Downstairs, the girl stared at the plastic bottle in her hands. Hesitantly, she brought the water to her lips. By the time Gon had rejoined them, water was dripping down her chin and wetting the collar of her dress. The emptied bottle fell to her feet, as she proceeded to sniff a granola bar.

"Ah!" Gon pulled the bar out from between her teeth. He tore off the wrapper before handing it back to her. "Here you go."

Banana watched the scene with a quirked eyebrow. "So what exactly do we do with her?"

"She can come with me," Gon said, straightening up. "It's too dangerous in NGL. I'll find her a hotel in the nearest town." By now, Gon had fully accepted the fact that she was his responsibility, that it was his duty to ensure her welfare. At least, until the whole ant problem had been dealt with and her homeland was safe again.

And once Gon had made up his mind on an issue, it became very hard to persuade him otherwise. Fortunately, Kite's group was more than cooperative. That just left border control, but their objections were quickly silenced by a display of Gon's Hunter License.

"When Killua comes back, can you let him know we left for town?" Gon asked the embassy worker. When the lady nodded, Gon smiled and waved goodbye. At the exit, he added, "Oh, and tell him he can call me!"

As the truck roared to life, both Gon and his new companion looked out at the two giant hydrophytic trees that marked the gateway to NGL. He looked away first; she kept looking long after it was out of sight.


	7. The Doctor

The doctor tucked the x-rays in her folder, along with the rest her diagnostics, when it became apparent that her patient had his mind elsewhere. She coughed, and her patient jolted, looking up from his cellphone. "Yes?" he asked in a tight voice, one that expected more beratement.

However, she did not scold him, even if her experienced eye told her this boy had suffered injuries like this before, had his bones broken in the same place twice or even three times. This was not an isolated incident, but one of many within a pattern.

"I was saying, given the severity of the fractures, it would take four to five months to heal."

He blinked, as if not completely comprehending.

"Until then," she continued, "I recommend you rest and avoid any… reckless actions."

He gave her an apologetic laugh that promised nothing of the sort. Shaking her head, she let him be discharged. He could not jump off the bed fast enough. He remembered something at the doorway.

"Thank you!" he said. And then he was gone.

Her next two patients were a cantankerous duo. One had the anatomy of his face rearranged after what she could only assume was a bar brawl, though he was very insistent that he was fine. The other was indeed perfectly fine, though he was very insistent that he was not. Both liked her, but not each other.

She liked neither. Because like the previous boy, they were deaf to her advice. Like the previous boy, they paid not with cash, but with a license that spoke plenty of their priorities and lifestyle choices.

She devoted her craft to the life and longevity of the people. Her work was wasted on those valued neither of those things, who walked day to day bearing a secret death wish.

After the duo left, the day had already extended too long. Inside her office, her assistant was closing the blinds, shading the room from the setting sun. He curiously held up a strip of dirtied fabric on her tool cart. It was black, the texture suspiciously similar to those of a cotton-weave shirt. Beside it were a set of branches snapped at careful, matching lengths.

"You can throw those out," she told him, fastening on her jacket.

Nodding, he went to retrieve a trash can. Meanwhile, she walked down the hospital halls.

Hunters were such mysteries, she thought. Their instinct for self preservation was abnormally low. Treating them was a waste of time and resources, to fix what would inevitably be broken again. She had no desire to help those who valued their lives so little.

And yet she did, because there existed others who valued them more than anything in the world. Who would gladly give up their own lives to keep them whole, to have them smiling just one more day. To fix them would be a waste, but to not would be an even bigger waste.

She had lied. An enhancer like him would make a full recovery in a month. Judging by his nervous energy, however, that was still far too long.


	8. The Psychic

The consignment shop was cluttered with objects of all sizes and colors. The girl backed away from a shelf only to bump into a hat stand. A beret fell by her bare feet.

When she stepped out, a sweater fitted snugly against her frame. Her tattered dress was forgotten for a pair of black pants and oxfords. She adjusted her beret before it could fall down her face, then looked at Gon expectantly.

"You look great!" Gon said, arms extended.

After a clumsy first step, she rush to his side again, where she would tag him like a shadow for the remainder of their journey across town. In between the food and shopping, Gon gave her the distraction she needed. And when that was not enough, a squeeze of her hand brought her attention back. The sadder her expression, the brighter he smiled, as if by doing so he could transfer some of his warmth to her.

"Oh right, I still don't know your name!" Gon tapped a finger against his chin. "Hm…"

An idea struck him.

He pulled her towards one of the blackboards in the main transportation terminal. He handed her a piece of chalk. Just because she lost her voice did not mean there were not other ways for her to speak!

His excitement quieted after seeing her stand in place, staring blankly at the various announcements and advertisements.

"What's wrong?" Gon asked when she returned the chalk. He tried to give it to her again, only to receive it back. Gon's brain fumed, not understanding. After a prolonged silence, one that involved much awkward standing, he finally figured it out.

"You can't read or write, can you?"

When she shook her head, Gon hung his. Now that he thought about it, Kite did mention something about poor literacy rates back when the group was researching NGL. Not that he had paid much attention; he assumed anything he missed, Killua would have caught.

Thinking of Killua made his stomach knot again, that strange, unwelcomed feeling bubbling somewhere deep inside him. He fought the urge to check his phone again.

Instead, he forced all of his focus on the person who needed him right now, who he could help.

"Okay, how's this, I'll just… pick one out for you!"

It was her turn to be dumbstruck, as Gon scanned his surroundings for inspiration. Finally, his gaze landed on the embroidery of her beret. Despite its age, the threading remained vibrant, of the same color as her hair, as his aunt's favorite summer blouse. He recognized the bird.

"Fenix."

She blinked once, before a blush crept up her cheeks. However, Gon gave her no time to object, already looking for a chalk again, to show her how to write her new name.

"Ah thanks!" Gon accepted one from a woman who had just finished her own message. The chalk barely touched the board when he noticed something.

"My answer to what?" he asked before the woman could leave.

Gon was greeted by a bloodshot eye peering out from a curtain of thick, wiry hair. Skeletal fingers gripped onto the hem of her dress, as the woman stopped to stare at the duo.

"Killua and…" Her eyes rolled over from the boy to the girl. "Gon…?"

Her lips thinned, dry and cracking. No. Something was wrong. This was not what she envisioned.

"Gon," she tried again, this time directed at the boy in the cast. "And…"

Her aura contorted, as she stressed to piece together the image before her. In the place of white was red. In the place of blue was black. Something was wrong. This was not what she envisioned.

Her teeth gnawed, as Palm raised her chin.

"Why don't I see Killua?"


	9. The Pundit

Despite his nonchalant air, Knov was proud when his student not only identified the pro-hunters following Kite, she tracked one down. Still, he refused to bend to her insistence on accompanying him to NGL.

Palm was not lacking in skill; even without combat training, she successfully ambushed Morel's students as soon as she knew of his plans for them. And therein lied the problem. Her precognition bred impatience. Impulse. Anxiety and anger. Until her mental state was stable, her potential remained just that - potential. Knov figured interactions with people other than him would do her good, preferably with people who could survive the edge of her knife.

Those people were supposed to be Gon and Killua. However...

Chairman Netero landed on one foot, peering down at the boy before him.

"Oho, where is young Killua? I assumed you two were together."

Gon said they had split up back in NGL. For some reason, Killua was late, but as soon as he came back, Gon would update him on the chairman's challenge. Gon had no doubt that Killua would also accept. Together, they would fight Knuckle and Shoot. They would show their worth and prove themselves as the superior team.

A guffaw cut Gon off.

"Nonsense."

Knov glanced over at Morel's trembling form.

"Superior team? Tell me, boy, how long has it been since you were supposed to meet your friend?"

Gon looked thrown off by the question. Frowning, he answered nonetheless. Three days.

"Three days," Morel echoed. He swung his oversized package over his shoulder. "Hate to be the one to cut it to you, but your friend is dead."

Gon's eyes widened a fraction.

Knov sighed, as Morel mercilessly continued. "Superior team, you say. What you fail to realize is you have no team. You lost your team three days ago." He peered down at Gon's cast, then at the girl hiding behind him. "The only fighter you have left is yourself, if even that."

"That's enough," Knov said.

Morel turned to his colleague. "You should reconsider pulling your student out of battle… this boy is going to need all the help he can get. Better yet, find her more competent hunters."

"Morel!" The disapproval in Knov's tone was overlooked, as the other man gave another hearty laugh.

"You're right."

All attention refocused on Gon. His gaze was directionless, his tone flat. "I don't have a team right now. Palm told me she wants to fight, so if you want us to pair up, I am okay with that. That said…" He looked up. "You know nothing about Killua."

Morel stopped. Never had he thought a child was capable of such intensity, to scorch the earth with a single look.

Gon tossed one of the bamboo plates to Palm, then made his leave. He did not look back.

A gang of amateur hunters came around with the van. They shivered at the unsettling atmosphere surrounding them, stealing glances at the chairman, misattributing the strong aura to him.

Morel ascended onto the vehicle. The boy's words having left an impression, he turned to Knov with a bet. 100 thousand jenny the Zoldyck child was dead.

Knov pushed up his glasses. He saw his bet and raised him 10 million.

Killua will come back.


	10. The Ghost

Colt's head was bursting with stress. His own soldiers were acting in clear disobedience to his orders. The other divisions were killing for sport and hairs away from killing each other. Her Majesty's appetite grew with every passing day, but the supply of food did not. To top it all off, the prey was fighting back.

"Has anyone had contact with Division 8?"

The grunts he was interrogating made some inintelligible noise. His gaze snapped to a passing Cheetu, who froze then sheepishly shrugged his shoulders.

Just as Colt was about to have a silent explosion, a body dropped by his feet.

He recognized the human. His looked up at the appearing figure.

"I've been trying to call you for the past twenty-four hours," Colt told the captain. "Why did you not respond?"

Orbish eyes rolled individually in its sockets, before Meleoron's lips settled into a wry smile. "Because I was busy doing what you asked. You wanted me to track the rare prey, did you not?"

Colt folded his arms. He studied the human more thoroughly this time. Indeed it was the same one that had fought Rammot. The human with the power to discharge lightning from his fingertips. Of the time of the confrontation, Colt did ask Meleoron, who had been in a nearby territory, to follow pursuit. Tail them. Gather information. Strike if the opportunity arose. At least, that was the plan until Hagya and his division took matters into their own hands.

Thinking about Hagya worsened his headache.

"Wait, so if you were handling them, then what is Hagya doing?"

Meleoron produced a pack of cigarettes. "My guess, hiding."

The three rare prey had split up halfway to their nest. Meleoron had followed the two young ones, leaving Hagya with the reaper and his scythe.

Hagya talked boldly, but acted cautiously. A glance of their power, and he would understand just how outclassed he was. How outclassed they all were.

It took two flicks to get his lighter to work.

Colt did not miss the subtle shake in the flame. He uncrossed his arms. "Capturing this human couldn't have been easy. Where's your division? We'll replace any missing numbers."

"You're looking at it."

Like Meleoron said. Outclassed. Too much blue. An entire ground stained with the color of his troops, his comrades. Had luck not been with him, he would have joined their bodies.

Zazan once claimed she brought in a prey worth a thousand humans. If so, then this one was worth a million. Meleoron believed he has fulfilled his lifetime quota.

Colt could keep his soldiers; Meleoron was done.

This was his resignation.

A breath of smoke, and the captain had disappeared from sight once more. For a while, there was the sound of padding footsteps, leading further and further away. After that, nothing.

The only evidence of his existence was the offering he had left behind. It lied on the floor, cold and unmoving.


End file.
